Asia's biggest solar thermal energy plant to be set up at Nagpur

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Vilas Muttemwar today said Asia's biggest solar thermal energy plant of 10 MW capacity would be set up at Nagpur, where a SEZ was also being established in which equipment and appliances related to wind, solar and biogas energy would be manufactured.

"Private company Acme is going to set up Asia's biggest thermal energy generation plant at Nagpur a SEZ will also be set up there," Muttemwar said addressing a joint press conference here with Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on the eve of 'Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas, the national function of which is being held at Panchkula tomorrow. He said as supply of conventional fuels was not going to last for ever and with increased demand to meet our energy requirements, future lies in non-conventional energy including solar and stressed the need to harness these sources.

"The Government is taking steps to promote solar energy generation with the help of private sector," he said. He said that today India ranked at number four in wind energy followed by Germany, Spain and USA. He said that in case of solar energy, India had a potential of generation of 5000 trillion MW and it could supply solar energy to the entire world.

Muttemwar said that both Haryana and Punjab were leading in foodgrain production and the agricultural waste could help in setting up of biomass projects and subsidy and loan would be provided for these projects. He said that the government was implementing a scheme to give financial incentive to those youth who would promote solar thermal energy system. He said that today there were 140 manufacturers engaged in the manufacture of solar water heating equipment in the country.